


Fragile Lines

by Agonizingly_Lost



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), Peter Pan - J. M. Barrie
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:21:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24352009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Agonizingly_Lost/pseuds/Agonizingly_Lost
Summary: Adolescents is a difficult period for everyone. We change and change and change again. We change so often that sometimes we forget who we are. So in search of stability in our identity, we adopt distorted versions of what we percieve as perfect, trying desperately to be someone whom we are not. Percy is no exception to this. As lost as she has ever been, she flies off to Neverland and far away from her world.But the reality of her fantasy is more than she can take. Things aren't as they seem. The closer she gets to discovering  her true self the more complicated things become. Every decision she makes could mean the end of her. We are what we do. We make our choices and our choices make us.
Relationships: Peter Pan | Malcolm/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	1. A Journey To A New World

Warning: this chapter contains dark themes and mentions of rape. 

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•  
It was a cold Friday night. The bar Percy worked at was crowded. Mostly businessmen who had come to wash away their week's stress. She walked around the bar counter to chop up some lemons. She picked up the knife, twirled it around her fingers a few times, and, in one fluid motion, sliced straight through the lemons. A few seconds later, the fruit was chopped and ready. 

"You've gotta teach me those knife skills. Seriously, where did you learn those? Masterchef?" The distinctively American accent could only belong to Kimmy Johnson who had moved to London from Iowa. She'd been the one to mentor Percy because Richard couldn't care less about doing his job.

"Oui, Penny," 

Speak of the devil. Percy looked up to see the bar manager, Richard, who never bothered to get her name right, coming towards her carrying a notepad and a pen which he rudely shoved into her hands "Stock is out back, sign for it. I have to make a phone call." 

He didn't wait for her response and, instead, walked in the direction of his office. She looked from the stationery in her hand to the clock hanging on the wall behind the counter. It was just past eleven. Her shift had ended at ten. She should have been halfway home by now. 

A frustrated grunt left her lips. Her job was to take and deliver orders and make drinks, Richard's was to manage the bar, that included signing for the stock, but somehow it almost always ended up with him sitting on his arse in his comfy office and everyone else doing his job for him. Now she has to stay behind and pick up his slack while he has phone sex with, lord knows which of his lady friends. She's already five hours late for curfew. 

Of course, Percy couldn't exactly mention that to Richard. To him, she was of legal age, lived in an apartment close by, and didn't have a curfew.

She'd had to lie. The last places she'd applied for a job hadn't wanted to take underage high school students. She was just about to give up when this opportunity presented itself. She'd been just stopping by to use the bathroom when one of the bar waiters got fired. Percy swallowed her nerves and asked if she could have his job. Richard hadn't requested an application, no identification, nothing.

Well, he had asked for one thing, though. Bile rose to her throat and her skin crawled just thinking about it.

She sighed and headed to the back room of the bar. She would just sign for the stock, count it, and then head straight home. 

Twenty minutes later, Percy folded her apron and shrugged her shabby hoodie on, ready to head out. She navigated her way around the many drunk people. Just before she reached the door, Percy pulled the hood of her jacket over her head and walked into the biting cold. 

London was freezing this time of the year, the wind stung her cheeks and turned them red. Around the corner was a group of men smoking cigarettes and passing a few bottles amongst themselves. Her steps faltered. She picked up her pace. Wrapping her arms around herself and clinging to the strap of her backpack, she kept her head down and walked as fast as she could without showing her fear. 

The streets were not safe for girls at night. Percy knew that better than anyone. 

She hurried down the sidewalk, glancing around at her surroundings every few minutes. Forever vigilant.

Percy crept around the decaying industrial building that was her orphanage. The fire escape squeaked and creaked as she tiptoed up. The sound of a window flying open halted her movements. 

"Brooks!" 

A defeated sigh. Busted. She rushed up the rest of the way. Not even bothering to stay quiet anymore. Practically flying through her window, she pulled off her clothes kicked them under the bed, and shimmied into a nightie. Her eyes went to her backpack, discarded on the floor by the window. She went to pick it up, at that moment her door swung open. 

A tall, round woman placed her hands on her hips, an irascible look twisting her already unappealing features making them even more terrifying.

"Finally caught you red-handed," she spat, looking very pleased with herself. A malicious glint in her eyes."You're not getting away with it this time."

"Sister Gwendolyn, I can explain." Percy tried. Her stomach lurched with nerves. She had no idea how she was going to talk her way out of this one. If she couldn't come up with a good enough lie Gwendolyn was going toss her into the basement, force her to clean it until her hands were raw and her back hurt, and she wouldn't see the light of day for the weekend, at least. She couldn't go through that torture. Not again.

"Explain away, I would love to hear what tall tale you spin this time."

"I- "

Gwendolyn didn't let her finish. She grabbed Percy by the forearm and dragged her out the door. "Got nothing, have you." 

Panic. She tried to tag her arm out of Gwendolyn's grasp which resulted in Gwendolyn tightening her fingers around her limb painfully. 

"Ahhh, Sister Gwendolyn, you're hurting me!" Percy cried. 

Sister Caroline, another caretaker of the orphanage, came marching up the passageway. 

"Shut up! The nerve of you, thinking you could sneak past me!" Gwendolyn snapped.

"Gwendolyn, what is the meaning of this?" Sister Caroline asked, visibly perturbed by how Gwendolyn was treating Percy. 

"Disrespectful twat thought she could pull the hood over my eyes. I was in the armed forces! There's fooling me!" 

"Miss Brooks, what is going on here?" the sister asked. 

"Sister Caroline, my backpack fell out the window and I was just going to retrieve it. It's past lights out and I didn't want to wake anyone. So I went down the fire escape." 

The lie slid easily off her tongue. Was it believable enough? She didn't know. 

Gwendolyn's screech of incredulity came, "Liar!"

"It's the truth. I swear!"

"Liar! Lies! You little slag! Stealing away to spread your legs for men, is it?"

"No, I swear! I wouldn't!" 

"Sister that will be enough of that," Sister Caroline said, exasperation coating her voice. She turned to Percy. "Miss Brooks go to your quarters immediately. And let us not find you outside of them at questionable times again. Understood?"

"Understood." Percy turned and left. 

She waited until she was in her room, her door shut to create a barrier between her and that awful woman, to let the tears fall. 

You little slag! Stealing away to spread your legs for men...

How dare she? Accuse her of being a slag. Embittered memories started playing in her head.

She didn't have to think about it. She should just let it go. It was best not to take Gwendolyn seriously. She should just forget about it. But the surge of humiliation and anger continued to crackle and rumble inside of her. 

Percy's head spun and she held onto the edge of her bed to steady herself. Never, not once, had Gwendolyn been nice towards her in the 12 years she remembered being at the orphanage. Ever the bitter and disdainful hag she was, why she choose to work with children when she obviously hated them that much, Percy would never understand. 

The memories overwhelmed her, settling on her chest making it hard to breathe. A sob wracked her body and she struggled to hold it in. 

Just forget. Just forget. Just don't think about it. 

Repeating the mantra in her head, she strode across the room to the window. She'd left it open in her haste to vindicate herself. Before she could pull it down, she caught something move in the corner of her eye. Her head turned so fast she almost got whiplash. Nothing. She looked around, her eyes squinting to see in the darkness. Her head tilted up just in time to see a shadow disappear over the roof of the orphanage. 

Ghosts were the first explanation her mind could offer. She slammed the window shut and drew the curtains. 

Ghosts don't exist, Percy. Lord, you're such an idiot. Maybe it's was a bird. Or a person. 

Either way, the scare had been enough to distract her from her thoughts.   
Sighing, she climbed into bed mauling over why a person would be on their roof at this hour and listening as her heart rate returned to normal.

*****

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Percy awoke with a start. Glancing around in disorientated fear. 

Assured of her surroundings, she slammed her hand over her alarm clock to quiet its beeping. 

She grabbed her toiletries, towels, and hairbrush and went to take a shower in the girls' bathroom. 

It was usually empty at this time, most of the other kids woke up only when they had to. That suited Percy just fine, she never was very comfortable with being naked around people. 

Undressing she stepped beneath the showerhead.

Horrific thoughts of rough hands, unforgiving, hazy eyes, mocking laughter, screams, and choked sobs threatened to resurface and pierce through her carefully constructed ignorance, but she pushed them back into the darkest part of her mind as she did with everything else she couldn't face and, instead, choose to think about the day ahead. 

Saturdays were her favourite. During the week her days were comprised of school, homework in the afternoon, and sometimes sneaking off after dinner for her shift at the bar. On Sundays she had church. But Saturdays, she was free to do as she pleased. 

Hours later she was uncomfortably perched on a bus chair, head turned towards the window and arms wrapped protectively around herself. 

The world outside passed in a blur and she was reminded of how short life was. If she had enough time to live it. You're only young for so long and before you know it you're rotting away in some sad hole of an old age home, thinking about the life you never lived. 

The prospect of becoming a vampire had always been an appealing one. Pity they didn't actually exist. There is so much beauty to see in the world, so much to learn. One lifetime is not enough to experience it all. It was a saddening realization. She wished she had more time. 

The bus arrived at her stop and she hopped off. 

If she had more time, she'd travel the world. Immerse herself in different cultures and learn different languages. Learn what makes people unique and what makes them all the same. Have enough power to not only make history but be there to live through it and watch the world change. To understand where we come from, who we were, and how that contributes to who we become. 

She looked up at a young couple coming towards her, hand in hand. The girl beaming and talking animatedly about something that, judging by the bored look and annoyed eye-roll of the lady walking alongside them, couldn't have been that exciting. But the guy didn't seem to mind and stared down at the babbling girl with a smile matching hers. Percy could tell they were obviously in the honeymoon phase of their relationship, just beginning to fall in love. 

Love. Percy frowned at the word. You could live as long as you want, see the world as much as you can, learn, but it would all mean nothing if you couldn't share it with anyone. She pushed the thought away as quickly as it came. She was no stranger to loneliness. She managed just fine on her own. She was comfortable, content with her lonely. 

Entering the library a smile spread across Percy's face. This was her favourite place. She'd never felt as at home as she did when surrounded by books and silence. One of which is a rarity in the orphanage. The only quiet she got there was in her room. It was typical to room with the other girls but as she was the oldest, Sister Caroline had been kind enough to provide her with a nook, a space to call her own. 

"Good morning, Miss Palma." Percy smiled at the small middle-aged woman sitting behind the front desk.

"Morning dear thought you would come this early. Listen, we have some new arrivals down in the young adult section. Have a look, yeah? Think you might like quite a few." Miss Palma pointed in the general direction of said section. 

"Yeah, thank you. I haven't read anything new in a while," which was true, she was currently on her third reread of the Harry Potter series. There was just something about the Wizarding World she could never grow tired of. 

As she walked down the aisles towards the young adult section an odd feeling swept over her, like she was being watched. Straightening up, she tried to act as normal as she could. On the unlikely chance she was being watched, Percy didn't want whoever was stalking her to think she was a weirdo. She looked around. Something disappeared behind a bookshelf so fast she thought she had imagined it. She stalked up to the bookshelf, feeling stupid but doing it nonetheless. Better safe than sorry. 

Nothing. There was nobody there. She took a deep breath to settle her nerves. Focusing on the refreshing pine-scented air. Paranoia was all this was. Calm down. 

"Pardon me."

Percy's heart jumped to her throat. She swirled around, hand clutched to her chest. 

"Forgive me. It wasn't my intention to startle you."

Before Percy stood a girl. Percy suspected she was probably around her age or perhaps a few years older then she was. The elegant suit she was wearing gave the impression that she was in her early years of maturity. Twenty, twenty one maybe? 

She wore a periwinkle blazer, buttons fastened so it accentuated her figure. Her pencil skirt sat perfectly on her body not loose but just tight enough to bring her delicate curves some justice, showing off her long, toned legs. 

The suit fit her so perfectly, Percy concluded it must've been tailored. It looked expensive, the fabric alone must've cost more than everything she owned put together. She was impeccably dressed, from her pearl adorned headband right down to her nude Louboutin pumps. 

Refined was the word that came to mind, like one of those ladies with billion-dollar jets who take expensive trips on a whim and hold 10-course dinners of fancy yet tasteless food. 

Though her outfit made her come across as older, her baby face gave her away. Slightly round cheeks dusted with an artificial blush. Her pink, uneven lips were probably the only thing asymmetrical about her. Everything else was in perfect proportion. 

The girl flicked a lock of light golden blond hair off her shoulder with a perfectly manicured finger, lips spread into a dazzling, white-toothed smile. 

"I don't usually come here and I seem to be a little lost. Could you kindly point me in the direction of the History section." The girl spoke in a fluent fashion. Clear pronunciation of her words. She sounded like one of those girls whose parents paid large amounts of money on a private school education. She probably plays polo and croquet, takes ballet lessons, and attends balls and other fancy events hosted a few as well. 

"Yeah sure, just walk straight down and at the very end just take a right," Percy directed, feeling a little intimidated. She was sure her cheeks were bright red right about now. It had always been challenging for her to communicate with people she found attractive. "It should be right there, beside the biology section." 

"Alright. Thank you." Another dazzling smile and a wave of a hand. The girl glided gracefully down the corridor.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~••~•~•~•~•

It way just beginning to get dark. Percy had spent most of her day in the library. Partially because she hoped the girl might come by again. She hadn't. But that didn't matter. She'd been nice enough but girls like that didn't associate themselves with people like Percy. It was better to just forget about her. 

This proved to be difficult as the walk from the station was an uneventful one and Percy's mind resignedly occupied itself with imagining different scenarios in which she ran into the girl again and they began talking. Of course, in almost all these scenarios Percy would get tough tied or say something embarrassing or fall on her face or drop something on herself or a bird pooped on her. The endless amount of worst-case scenarios her brain could cook up did nothing but heighten her anxiety. 

A cry pulled her away from her uneasy thoughts. What happened to constant vigilance? She listened again. Nothing came but a whimper from an alleyway just ahead. 

As quietly as she could, she walked up to it, body pressed against the damp, bare brick of a building and peeked into the alleyway.   
Men, three of them, surrounded a small figure. 

Another whimper. It sounded girlish and frightened, almost pleading.

"What's a girl like you doing out in the streets at night?" 

"Shouldn't you be at home eating mussels and shit, princess?"

"Or you're just out here trying to get daddy's attention?" 

"Please, I don't have any money on me. So you're just wasting your time." 

That voice sounded familiar. Percy's eyes squinted. Blue, blond. It was the girl from the library. Percy's heart beat faster. 

"You expect us to believe that a girl like you, in your expensive suit and high heels has no money on her. Bullshit. " 

"I swear I don't. You can check for yourself," she thrust a small purse into the guy's hand. 

He greedily rummaged through the bag while the two other guys held the girl against a wall. 

"Nothing. Not even a cell. Who the fuck goes out without a bloody cellphone?" 

"I told you. Now let me go." 

"Not so fast princess. We can't go through all this trouble and get nothing. I'm sure we can work something out, can't we?" 

The clanking of a belt buckle. Oh no. 

"How about giving us that sweet little cunt of yours, yeah? Ten minutes tops and we'll call it square." 

"Help! Som- " The girl screamed but she quieted down when a knife caught the light. 

"Keep your trap shut and things won't get ugly." 

"I'll be gentle," the guy said in a condescending tone. His buddies laughed. That laughter. It mad Percy's blood boil. 

What should she do? What should she do? Somebody, anybody tell her what to do! She was panicking. She looked up and down the street. It was pretty vacant, the only people around were further down the road and it would take time to run and get help. 

Running?! Scream idiot! 

If she screamed the men could come after her. They could hurt her. She only hesitated for a second before screeching at the top of her lungs. 

"They're trying to rape her. Somebody help!" 

No one reacted. No one came. 

The predators stilled. 

She kept screaming.

The men ran towards her.

She froze. 

They lunged at Percy, forgetting about the girl. Their arms wrapped tightly around her, preventing her from attacking them. Fear a concrete vise around her ankles, willing her to stay still. 

"Run! Run!" Percy instructed. 

The girl didn't hesitate. She took off as fast as she could. 

"You twat!" A fist came into contact with her lower jaw. There was a cracking sound. Her eyes watered with pain. The man didn't give her a chance to recover before punching her again. The blow left her in a disoriented haze. A sharp pain shot through her abdomen. The cut of a knife. Far away she heard the echos of a shriek and some muffled yelling. 

Percy concentrated, trying to see what was happening but only to be met with blurry darkness. It did nothing to stave off the oncoming loss of consciousness. Apart from the thrumming pain wracking her body, arms lifting her nimble body were the last thing she felt before drifting off into the darkness.


	2. Unfamiliarity

Death was something Percy had often wondered about, in her weaker moments when the weight of her world got too heavy for her shoulders to carry. If it would be quick and painless or drawn out and agonizing. Did she deserve for it to wash over her and ebb her away to peacefulness or to have it burn her from the inside out until her flesh was reduced to what she had always been afraid she was nothing? 

This, however, didn't feel like death. It felt like the morning after too many tequila shots and then getting hit by a train. Her muscles hurt so much she felt almost numb. Not death but pretty close. 

"........tell him it's a girl this time." 

"What do you think happened to her?" 

"It's pretty obvious someone beat the shit out of her." 

The voices sounded unfamiliar and far away. Seconds later she felt a strange warmth enveloping her. 

"Ahhh man, she's pissed herself!" 

She? Were they talking about her? That would certainly explain the warmth across her legs and bottom. Oh dear lord! She was...........in...front of strangers. However hard she tried, she could not gain control of her bladder. Shame. Could the Earth just open up and swallow her whole? This was beyond mortifying. But even with that, she couldn't make a single muscle move. She would never let herself live this down. 

Just forget, just forget about it. 

And because she couldn't deal with the reality of having lost control and embarrassed herself in front of strangers, her mind pulled her back into blissfully ignorant darkness. 

°¤°¤°¤°¤°¤°¤°¤°¤°¤°¤°¤°¤°¤°¤°¤°¤°

Slowly Percy's eyes fluttered open to reveal a pair of russet brown ones at an uncomfortable distance from her face. Immobilized by confusion and shock, she did nothing.

A second of awkward silence passed before the eyes disappeared from view. There was some quiet shuffling and then a door closed shut. 

Ignoring the pounding in her head, she slowly pulled herself into a sitting position. 

She was in a tent. Apart from the bed, she was occupying, a lamp resting on a bedside table, an animal skin mat on the floor beside the bed and a leather-covered trunk sat at the bottom end of the bed, the room had very few contents. 

Upon realizing that this wasn't her room, she became increasingly unsettled. Where was she? What happened to the girl? Did she get to safety? Oh no. Her worst thought. What if the men that beat her up kidnapped her and now they were going sell her to some foreign mafia that's going to use her as a sex slave. 

Her sun beige complexion got slightly pale and her blood ran cold. What if...what if they raped her while she was asleep. How could she have let this happen? She should have run into one of the buildings and called for help. What was she thinking of walking in that alley alone? It was three men against one girl, she was never going to make it. Why did she think she could make it? Now she was going to be screwed by some gross old men with beer bellies and bad breath. And it was all her own fault. She was always putting herself in dangerous situations. 

This is why we think Percy! Use your fucking brain! 

Such an idiot. Only when she realized she was whimpering and on the verge of tears did Percy snap herself out of it. Falling apart over possibly exaggerated contrivances wasn't going to get her out of here. She needed to think. First, she had to ensure she hadn't been invaded. 

Hesitantly she lifted a shaking hand to the blanket covering her. She let the hand hover over it, working up the nerve to remove the blanket to see whether or not she had been abused. One. She placed her hand on the blanket and fisted it. Two. She took a deep breath. Three. She ripped it away. 

No blood. No pain. No sign of having been taken advantage of. She'd over thought everything, as per usual. 

The door opened and in stepped a boy. He looked to be around her age, tall, a little over six feet. He had short wavy light brown hair, s-shaped eyebrows, round nut-brown eyes, a small Nubian nose, and small slightly pouty lips. If they were meeting under less tense circumstances, Percy would be blushing and falling over herself in a retarded fashion. 

But these were tense circumstances and this boy, handsome as he may be, could potentially be her captor.

Oh my gosh, Percy! You're such a perv. You have been beaten and possibly kidnapped and all you can think about is how cute someone is. What the fuck is wrong with you?

Her eyes turned into slits, wondering if she could push the boy out of the way and escape. That plan was quickly thwarted when Percy noticed his bulky build. 

He raised his hand up as if surrendering. On his face was a look that said "Don't shoot."

"Hey, I'm Alex and I'm not a threat." 

"Where am I?" 

"That isn't something you should concern yourself with at the moment," he walked slowly towards her, as though approaching a wild animal that might rip his face off if he made any sudden movements. "But for now how about you put," he opened the trunk and took out her clothes, " these on, and come have some breakfast." 

Percy looked down and saw that she, indeed, was not in the clothes she'd been wearing yesterday, but in a grey oversized T-shirt. She suddenly remembered why they'd probably needed to change her. Her cheeks burned and she wished she could crawl under the bed and never come out. She felt compelled to ask who had undressed but she preferred to move on from the subject as quickly as possible. Her location was a much more pressing issue. 

"Where am I?" Percy's tone turned hostile and cold, her cheeks the only thing betraying her embarrassment. "Why won't you tell me where I am?"

"I will, just have breakfast first and I promise to tell you everything after. You were out for three days, you must be starving." 

As if on cue, Percy's stomach grumbled. She decided not to object. Wait, did he just say three days. She's been out for three days. Where was her phone? She had to report to someone, maybe one of her school mates that she was alive and that they should send for help. Google maps could help her find her location.

"Where's my phone?"

"Food first, questions later," he chastised, " I'll give you some privacy." 

Percy sat there for a while after he left. The pounding in her head making it hard to think. Alex didn't look cruel and abusive. But then again, they almost never did. Could she trust him though? He hadn't wanted to tell her anything. He hadn't given her her phone. Nor had he asked for her name or her address like a normal person would. In fact, a normal person would have called the paramedics and taken her to St George's Hospital. 

Alex had also said she shouldn't "concern" herself with any of this, which gave Percy major red flags. 

She was in a foreign location with no way of contacting anyone quite yet. If she had indeed been kidnapped and was to be a commodity on the black market, it was also possible she had already been sold and was in a brothel at this exact moment, then it was important to make a break for it as soon as possible. But between her headache and the stinging almost breathtaking pain in her abdomen, from where she'd been stabbed, the likelihood of her making it out if here without being caught was small. 

Considering she was still recovering from having been mugged, hadn't had anything to eat in three days she wouldn't be well enough to execute an escape for a week maybe two, there was not much she could do but trust Alex. 

Percy would go along with it and be a good girl just until she could leave. But in the meantime, she'd gather enough information to hatch up a plan to escape. 

It'll be okay. You'll be fine. You'll make it through this, you always do. 

Having reassured herself, she climbed out of bed slowly, as not to dizzy herself and slowly pulled the T-shirt over her head. Grateful to find she was wearing underwear but unnerved to find that they weren't her own. Oh, lords, they'd had to wash her panties as well because she, a grown woman, couldn't control simple bodily functions. Maybe she wasn't all that grown after all. 

The panties came on first, then her jeans, she blushed in furious embarrassment when putting on her bra, wondering if the same person who'd done her laundry had also been the one to undress her. What right did they have to do so? Be as it may she was the one wet herself. Guess she couldn't blame them for not wanting to stink up the bed. Making sure not to disturb the bandage wrapped around her stomach, she fastened her bra carefully. Her T-shirt and hoodie were the last to be worn. 

Putting on her socks and sneakers proved to be most difficult, as bending upset her wound but after some twisting and turning she got them on, not without with some mild pain though. 

Outside the tent was not what she had expected, she's not sure what that was but it definitely was not this. 

In a medium-sized clearing were a few tents scattered around on one side, a little wooden house towards the center, a campfire pit right in the middle, some open space, what looked to be a small water fountain, and a washing line next to it. The tract was surrounded by a forest with trees so tall their tops brushed against the sky. 

It looked very much like a small rural community. Maybe a small rural refugee camp community? What rural society did she know around London? She didn't know most of the street names in London, she definitely didn't this. She'd never paid much attention to her surroundings.

Alex lead her over to the log cabin and introduced her to 12 other boys. She stood there before them, cheeks aflame, shifting her weight from one foot to another while they gaped at her. Did she have bed hair? She'd tried to tame it just slightly by running her hand through it, regardless, her hair had a mind of its own. It wouldn't have surprised her if it had shot up like she had been electrocuted. Her hand reached up to smooth it. It was fine so what were they gaping at? Subsequent to that very awkward moment, Alex took charge of the situation by making her sit at the table and then served her some porridge. 

~~♧~~♧~~♧~~♧~~♧~~♧~~♧~~♧~~♧~~

They were sitting on logs at the campfire pit. Percy working up the nerve to demand answers. Alex beat her to it.

"So what happened to you?" he asked cautiously. 

She hesitated, "I was playing the hero. Got the snot kicked out of me." 

Alex chuckled. "By who?"

Percy sighed. "I don't know," she answered honestly. Before Alex could ask her any more questions she shot out her own. "Where am I? What is this place? When can I go home?" 

It was Alex's turn to sigh. "This is place is where most of us stay. It's safer here than other places on the island." 

He stopped and didn't seem to want to carry on. "You promised me answers. "

"And you'll get them. Just not from me. Come let me show you to your tent." 

He leads her to a wooden cottage smaller than the kitchen but a little larger than most of the other tents. 

"Whose tent was I sleeping in before?" 

"Clive's. He isn't here. He and a few others are off hunting." 

The inside of the small wendy house was quaint and cozy. It had a cute bed, a warm, fuzzy fur rug, and a white trunk at the foot of the bed. Like it had been in the other tent. The only thing different was lanterns on the wooden walls. Why were they there? Did the person who built this understand that fire burns wood? 

Alex must have seen the confused look on her face, "it's a special type of wood. It doesn't burn." 

She'd never heard of any type of wood that didn't burn. The room had a window at the back wall, two steps to the right and above the bed. Other than that it was bare. 

Did giving her a room mean that she would be there for a long time? She didn't want a room she wanted to go home. Her three-day vacation might have cost her her job. Maybe if she got out of here sooner Richard might consider hiring her back. There was no hope of that and she knew it. The bastard wouldn't even care she was stabbed. Nonetheless, she couldn't give up that easily, that job was everything to her. She had to get out of here. "Where's my phone?" 

Again Alex gave a hesitant answer. "Pan has it." 

"Who the fuck is Pan?" She was becoming exasperated. 

"He should be here any minute. You can ask him all the questions you want." 

Was Pan their leader? Probably, if they weren't permitted to tell her anything without him present. Percy decided against pressing for more. If she wanted honest answers she'd have to wait for Pan. She just hoped he would give them to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you guys think?


	3. Welcome to Neverland

Percy's mind was constantly on overdrive. When it wasn't replaying embarrassing moments or horrific events she'd give anything to forget, it was coming up with worst-case scenarios for every situation whether they were likely to happen or not. It was one of the things she hated most about it. It just never went quiet. Endless chaos. 

Right now it was splitting itself open trying to figure out whether or not she was still in London or at least England. Logically she knew she couldn't be in London or even England. The weather was too warm and the air too humid. The grass too green, the trees weren't bare. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky. 

It was plausible she wasn't even in the Northern Hemisphere anymore. This was very different from the dreary northern winters.

Although she was aware of these facts, she was reluctant to believe it. She didn't want it to be true. If she was so far from home, how did she get her? It must have taken days. Taking into consideration the three days she spent unconscious and the time it took to get here, which could be anything from 8 hours to a week depending on what form of transportation they took. This was impossible to figure out. She might have been passed out for longer or shorter, Alex might be lying to her. They might have given her anaesthesia. She didn't know. All this buzz was beginning to give her a headache. 

Where was this Pan person? She was seated at the fire pit with Alex. Him, chattering away about what they did around here and her only half-listening. At this point, her anxiety had grown into irritation. She never liked being kept in the dark about things and patience, depending on the situation, was hardly her virtue. The sooner she got answers the sooner she could leave. 

Percy was so lost in her own head that when she snapped out of it, she found herself unwittingly locked in a gaze so sleety and pernicious she felt a shiver run down her spine and her shoulders shrink into herself trying to become smaller. She averted her eyes from the newcomer's cold gaze. How long had she been unconsciously staring? Obviously far too long if this person had such a murderous look on his face.

"Everything alright down south?" Alex asked. Percy looked up, thinking the question was directed at her. It wasn't. 

"Well I'm not carrying a net full of fish now am I, how do you think things are going?" The new boy retorted. He stood before them flipping a large golden coin in his hand. Percy stared at it, trying to determine what country it was from. She didn't know squat about international currencies. Although this coin was jagged, more antique looking. It resembled the kind used in the ancient era when money was called pieces of silver or gold. Perhaps it was a family heirloom or a sentimental treasure. Either way, she wouldn't be able to figure any of this out without googling it. How useless technology has made us. 

"If there is any chance of salvaging it, we'll have to go up North and suss out what's going on with the water there, " he said. His words laced in an English accent much like hers which was very different from Alex's whose accent resembled Kimmy's, American. 

What was going on up north? Did they have a problem with their river or something? He had mentioned fishing, so probably. 

"Where's Felix?" The boy asked.

"Training the new recruits," Alex answered. 

"Why is she not with them?" the boy nodded his head in Percy's direction, a little annoyed. 

"She just woke up," Alex said incredulously. The boy's eyes iced over. He appeared unimpressed. He turned to leave. 

Why was she not where? Why would she be training? What is this place?

Percy looked expectedly at Alex, as though expecting to telepathically communicate all these questions to him. He looked in her direction, regarded her expression. He understood. 

"She was hoping to talk to you." The boy stopped dead in his tracks. "She has questions she needs to be answered." 

"I have other things I need to do," he almost snarled over his shoulder and begun walking again. 

"Pan," Alex half warned, half pleaded. "You can't keep her in the dark, she needs to know. She won't last much longer'' A charged silence fell between them. It felt as though they were having an argument, one they'd evidently had many times before, judging by how they could communicate without saying a word, or moving a muscle.

So this was Pan. He looked younger than she thought.

He, reluctantly, let out "I'm heading up North. I'll be back tonight." And with that continued on his way. 

Tonight? Tonight's too far. She needed answers now. Alex was right, she wouldn't last much longer. She'd surely lose her mind before then. 

"What's the time?" she asked Alex, hoping that he'd say three or four. Anything closer to "tonight" would do. 

"After midday." 

She should have figured, the sun was still high up in the sky. 

Alex seemed to sense her disappointment, or agitation, or panic, or whatever she was feeling at this moment, she honestly had no idea. He reassuringly took her by the arm and lead her towards the kitchen with the promise of chocolate chip cookies.

_____________________________________

It was probably close to midnight. Pan still hadn't shown up. The quiet of the forest disturbed only by Percy's nervous pacing. Alex had suggested she stay and wait with him by the campfire but she had declined. The boys, all sixteen of them, she had found out, we're all openly staring at her making her feel most uncomfortable. So she had opted to spend an hour pacing up and down the treeline. 

What if he lied to her? What if he told her the truth? What then? How was she going to leave? What if she couldn't ever leave? What if she was trapped here? What about her life, her friends her job, her plan? She'd worked far too hard to surrender now. No, she couldn't think like that. She would figure this out. Giving up on her dreams wasn't an option. She'll have to do whatever it takes to get back to London. Whatever it takes, she promised herself.

She gasped when she turned around and found herself face to face with Pan. They stood like that for a minute, just awkwardly watching each other. Was she supposed to wave? Say hi? Or just bombard him with all her questions? She chose to stay quiet, and wait for him to make the first move. 

Pan scowled at her, pivoted on his heel, and marched into the forest. Did he expect her to follow him into the dark wood? At midnight? With no one else around? Did he expect her to just blindly let him lead her into a vulnerable situation? She didn't know him, she couldn't trust any of these people. 

A few paces from her, Pan whirled around probably realizing she wasn't behind him. It was difficult to see his face as the further into the forest you walked, the darker it got. The thickness and density of the trees making it impossible for the bright moonlight to seep through. She suspected, though, he was annoyed. Well, he could be annoyed all he wanted, this was her safety she was gambling with. 

"How do I know you won't mutilate me or something?" she asked. 

"Do you want your answers or not?" came his monotone reply. 

She stood still as she contemplated which she was worried about more. Him ripping her apart was, surprisingly, not the worst-case scenario. No, the worst thing that could happen would be her not going and walking away from her only shot at going home. Whatever it takes, she had promised.

She hesitated. He waited. At last, she starting walking towards him. He didn't turn away from her, instead, he stood watching her. She couldn't see his eyes but she could feel his acute gaze trained entirely on her. She stared at the ground a little self-consciously and concentrated on not tripping. 

Only when she was a few feet from him did he look away and start walking again. His strides were longer than hers making keeping up with him a lot more of a challenge. The journey was made harder by the tree roots she continuously stumbled over. He was walking too fast, the tree roots seemed to hate her, she was running out of breath and most of her energy went into fighting back tears. She wouldn't be here if she hadn't saved the girl. She almost wished she hadn't. Almost. Thinking that way was pointless, she knew that given the chance she would still do the same thing. She'll just have to endure this. 

Pan, thankfully, slowed down his pace and lead her to what looked like a huge canyon, with a magnificent waterfall. Greenery lined the walls of the gorge as well as the floor. It felt like she had left the forest and entered a jungle. The only time she had seen beauty that even remotely resembled this was in the pages of a travel magazine or on the green screen of movies. But even then it wasn't like this. This beauty had no rival. 

It was incredible how the light of the full moon hit the water and made it glow. It was too far down for her to see but she could make out a possi of fireflies blinking above the river in marvellous patterns. Percy, who was a lover of the night, tilted her head up to watch the stars and the brilliant full moon. 

When she heard the sound of a person clearing their throat, she suddenly remembered herself. Awe-inspiring views were not the reason she was here. 

Percy walked from the edge of the gorge to the rocks Pan was sitting on and sat beside him, leaving a distance big enough for three people. Silence. 

What was the best way to approach this? Head on, she supposed. 

"Where am I?" she asked for what felt like the hundredth time that day, trying to keep her voice calm and emotionless. 

Pan, without looking at her, said, very seriously, "Neverland."

Percy sighed. We're back to this again. Why had she expected him to tell her the truth? It wasn't as if he owed her anything. 

She felt like crying, swallowing down the dismay, she forced out, "Right. Okay. And where in the world is Neverland?" 

Pan turned to face her, he still wasn't looking at her though, "You're having an awfully difficult time with this."

"I find it hard to believe", she agreed.

He got up, "Come on." 

They stood at the edge of the cliff, facing one another. Pan seemed to hesitate for a millisecond, before raising his hands to her. 

"May I?" his voice tentative. It was the first time she'd heard in his voice an emotion other than unkind irritation. 

She nodded, untrusting but curious all the same. Strong hands gently gripped the sides of her waist. He looked at her, briefly, like he had before, then gazed vacantly at the air above her. He was avoiding her eye. 

"Just trust me, " was the last thing he said before picking her up and throwing her off the cliff into the gorge.


End file.
